Greetings from Japan

**Stu in Tokyo** · 28th November 2008, 12:30 AM

Hi all, some of you might know me from the woodturning forum here, or other woodworking forums around the web.

I'm just getting into the whole CNC machining thang

TOTALLY by accident

I guess I have a bit of a tale to tell

You see, I was out at a trade show here for woodworking machines, I went to look at the SawStop, as the local importer had one on display, I'm thinking of buying one, not from them, as they want about $9500 USD for it, but importing one. Kicked the tires, certainly like the saw.

I then made my rounds, most of the stuff was bigtime industrial machines, but in one corner, in a small booth was a company called "Geetech", they are a large tool manufacturer based in Taiwan, they make a TON of tools for various clients, like Ridgid, Delta, B&D, DeWalt, Oliver, Grizzly, just to name a few. They had three nice smaller lathes on display, and this other machine that they are calling the "iCarver".

Attachment 89815
As it turns out, the smallest lathe was for sale, for about $200USD, I could not pass it up. I arranged to come back on Saturday, when the trade　show was over, to get the lathe, they told me that I could have, for free the small DC they were using on the iCarver, if they had not sold it. Turns out they did not sell it, so they gave it to me. At this point I was one happy guy, the lathe was a deal and a half, and I knew I could sell the DC for about the same price I bought the lahte for, so I'm looking at a FREE lathe

Attachment 89819
The mini DC I got for FREE

Then, when I'm standing there and we are loading the lathe and DC onto a cart I brought, to take them back to my van, out in the parking lot, out of the blue, the boss asked me if I'd like the iCarver.....?

I told him sure, but I'm also just a sure that it was way out of my price range, he told me that I misunderstood him, he would "G-I-V-E M-E" the iCarver, if I would agree to a couple stipulations..... One, I had to promise to use the heck out of it, and provide them with feedback, in English, and that I could NOT sell it, without their approval.....

Want to guess what my answer was

You bet.......

Attachment 89816 Attachment 89817
Here it is on the back of my little van, it barely fit, but I did get it home!

Attachment 89822
here is it is on the way down to the Dungeon, my buddy Jake came by to help.

Attachment 89818
This is the info sheet that they were giving out at the trade show.

Attachment 89820
Oh yeah, this is the lathe, it sure is nice, especially for the price

OK, we got the iCarver down to the Dungeon, and I made a place for it, in one corner of the workshop......

Attachment 89821
..... the new home.....

Attachment 89823
and I finally got it moved over there, had to wait for Jake to come and give me hand again, too much for one guy to manhandle.

They are sending me a video and manual, kind of a quick start, to get going, but I've got a few things to learn, so expect some questions.

This is a pre-production model, or a test mule, somethings are yet to be refined, but it sure works well, from what I saw at the trade show.

Cheers!

**rodm** · 28th November 2008, 12:50 AM

Hi Stu,
Fantastic little machine and looks like it has all the right components.
I think you got ripped off on the price and having to deliver it yourself was a bit much.

Be very interested to hear about your new direction. CNC is very addictive so expect to become good friends with the machine.
Have a look through our projects thread to see just a few ideas of what can be done with these machines. I have seen a lot more jobs run but can't post them because the blokes have created a nice little money spinner and do not want to have their niche market taken over by others.

**Stu in Tokyo** · 28th November 2008, 01:00 AM

Thanks Rod, I'll take a walk around

**WillyInBris** · 28th November 2008, 07:12 AM

Stu welcome to the Dark side or as I tell other woddies new gae woodowrking

, I don't even have a lathe anymore lol I even ended up selling my chisels as I needed it to fund my CNC habit tried to sell the wife but was told that was illegal over here for some reason

Keep us updated and no question is a stupid question thats for sure I have asked plenty myself after a year I am still learning and asking.

Love that little Dusty can we get those in aus Guys?

Sean

**crocky** · 28th November 2008, 08:36 AM

Hi Stu,

Sounds like a real win

a good deal

**echnidna** · 30th November 2008, 10:47 AM

Congrats Stu on being in the right place at the right time.

Have Fun.

btw if you clamped a headstock and tailstock to it you'll have a small cnc lathe.

**Stu in Tokyo** · 13th December 2008, 10:20 PM

Well, I finally got the iCarver working, it would not work, and myself and the Geetech guys were burning up the e-mail lines trying to figure it out.

Took things apart, checked connections but no dice

I finally decided that for some reason, the flash memory stick I have, was somehow just not compatible with the machine. I went and got a new flash memory stick today, put the files on the new stick, and the iCarver read the files no problem at all

Boy was I a happy camper

Here it is just off the iCarver, it is a bit fuzzy, the wood is just some junky pine I had, and the picture is quite detailed, for such a small scale.

I just took an awl, and cleaned things up a bit, also some rulers for a size comparison. It is about 2 1/4" x 3 1/2" and maybe a 1/4" deep at the deepest point.

And a shot of the Madonna carving on the iCarver, I took a couple of videos as well, short ones, I'll load them up on to my YouTube account later.

Cheers!

**Ch4iS** · 13th December 2008, 11:29 PM

Just wondering but how much was the ICarver?

BTW it looks awesome, A high quality build.

**Stu in Tokyo** · 14th December 2008, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by blue^ray

Just wondering but how much was the ICarver?

BTW it looks awesome, A high quality build.

It cost me nothing, they "GAVE IT TO ME" as long as I promised to use it a lot and give them feedback, they needed a field tester, one who could comment in English, so I was in the right place, at the right time

**rodm** · 14th December 2008, 10:05 AM

You have to be happy with that.

**Ch4iS** · 14th December 2008, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Stu in Tokyo

It cost me nothing, they "GAVE IT TO ME" as long as I promised to use it a lot and give them feedback, they needed a field tester, one who could comment in English, so I was in the right place, at the right time

Na I was just curious as to what they were charging for it? I know you were lucky and got it for free

**wheelinround** · 14th December 2008, 10:57 AM

Stu

bargain

The little lathe looks awesome especially the one with rotating headstock for outboard turning

but the switches would all be under the work when mounted.

CNC Its only going to make your posts and video's more entertaining

**BobL** · 14th December 2008, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by Stu in Tokyo

The mini DC I got for FREE

Then, when I'm standing there and we are loading the lathe and DC onto a cart I brought, to take them back to my van, out in the parking lot, out of the blue, the boss asked me if I'd like the iCarver.....?

I told him sure, but I'm also just a sure that it was way out of my price range, he told me that I misunderstood him, he would "G-I-V-E M-E" the iCarver, if I would agree to a couple stipulations..... One, I had to promise to use the heck out of it, and provide them with feedback, in English, and that I could NOT sell it, without their approval.....

Crikey Stu - that has to be the score of the year!!!
Well done.

**dai sensei** · 14th December 2008, 11:57 AM

To pick up a solid little variable lathe for $200 is good, but to get the DC and carver for free as well

Look forward to more examples.

**Stu in Tokyo** · 15th December 2008, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by WillyInBris

Stu you got me all excited but you posted this two days ago

you been sampling the stock in the shop again

I thought it was so good, I'd post it twice

Whoops, sometimes I forget things like that

My wife always says "You forget your.........."

Oh heck, I can't remember what she always says....

I've got some more things on the carver as I type, this one is just a name plate, 2 hours and 7 mintues worth of carving, I'm sure my set up of the software is NOT the best, I'm still figuring that stuff out....

Cheers!

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